Bangsamoro leaders laud promise of peace

Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim— PHOTO FROMBANGSAMORO INFORMATION OFFICE

ILIGAN CITY—Leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who are holding the reins of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have lauded President Marcos for his commitment to the peace process which he outlined in his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday.

“It was very heart-throbbing. It demonstrates that President Marcos is genuinely pursuing the path of peace,” BARMM Education Minister and MILF peace implementing panel chair Mohagher Iqbal, told the Inquirer.

“What must be guarded, however, is whether the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro is faithfully implemented on the ground,” Iqbal added.

During his Sona, the President said he was “proud of the progress that the BARMM has taken.”

“Through the BARMM, we have strengthened the nation’s prospects for finally achieving sustainable progress anchored on a true and lasting peace in Southern Philippines,” Mr. Marcos said.

The first agreement between the government and the Moro rebels was signed in 1976, which provided for a framework of political concessions to achieve meaningful autonomy in localities where Moros were historically predominant. It was forged by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) with the administration of Mr. Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Sr.

The following year, the MNLF split and the breakaway faction would be formalized as the MILF in the early 1980s.

Partnership

Last year, representatives of all Moro factions joined together, along with government nominees, within the 80-member interim Bangsamoro parliament.

Mr. Marcos said that with the BARMM, “former adversaries are now partners in peace.”

BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, credited Mr. Marcos for his continued commitment to “bring genuine autonomy and progress” to the region with a vow to pursue amnesty for former rebels.

Although not specific to a particular revolutionary group, Mr. Marcos said he would issue the amnesty proclamation. “We are now at a point in our history when their armed struggle has evolved. We have now progressed together towards peace and development,” he said.

“To complete this reintegration process, I will issue a proclamation granting amnesty to rebel returnees, and I ask Congress to support me in this endeavor,” Mr. Marcos added.

Deadline

Ebrahim said the President’s call for granting amnesty “is a testament to his strong and resolute desire of finding lasting peace and justice.”Earlier, several parliament members appealed to the President and Congress to grant blanket amnesty to MILF and MNLF members.

Some members of the MILF and the MNLF did not make it to the deadline of amnesty application on Jan. 24 this year, prompting calls to extend the amnesty period.

The amnesty to former MILF and MNLF rebels was covered by Proclamation Nos. 1090 and 1091 issued by former President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2021 and concurred in by the House of Representatives and the Senate on Jan. 24 last year.

Since the two proclamations had a lifespan of only a year, those who failed to apply before the deadline this year would still have to wait for a possible extension.

“We assure the President that in this ‘Bagong Pilipinas,’ we will all strive to have a Bangsamoro that is self-governing, progressive, and effective. In shaa Allah (If Allah wills),” Ebrahim said in a statement.

Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo thanked the President for bringing the plight of BARMM into the national arena.

“There are a lot of good references made by President Marcos to the BARMM during his second State of the Nation Address yesterday. And we should be thankful for these,” Sinarimbo said.

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—WITH A REPORT FROM BONG S. SARMIENTO